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$5,000 project in 1865 Lengthy controversy launches Town Hall 4 1 Boro on tbe turbulent pre'Coniedieraiion days, Mion's Towan Hall in ils classic-Georgian arcbiiec- ture, sitands loday on ils renewsed stale, as a iribule in pianers wbo but well. Erecled amid bickering and polilical knas'ery. coniros'ersy and debale, tbe siurdy sinne building w as bult ai a limte ss'en lite inundations ni or onirsy ocre being laid. From concept lu complelion il ligured in tbe aclivilies ai ibive years' oriis il was tbe s ubjeci ni bealed and lnngîby debale ni meetings iht conlinued pasi tbe midnigit bours. Tbe projeci's defenders' gnnd intentions wciv cbal- lenged and lthe $5.000 casi mas described in ierms ni grass extrav'agance. Today, 100 years later, wilb tbe esierior ni lthe building stili largcly uncbangnd escepi for a brick addi tion ai lthe rear and tbe ine complely madernizd, tbe Town Hall is casi in a oew iormi la matcb tbe cbanging limes in municipal gaverninent. Wiîbin ils mvaIls a varieîy ni couoiy and coom- muniîy aclivilies bave laken place irora gala halls. lectures" soives and lea meetings in raucous polili. cal meetings s'erging on rinis. But gon in tbe mod- eroizat ion is the large assembly bail ltai bosted snch a varicty ai eseols. lraosiarmed inia a digniiied chamber lar tbe deliberations ni municipal legisla' Drif baî.k 100 years la tbe Miliaui af 1865. Tite Miltan ai mod sireels, bnard sidessaiks, s'eran dabed stores and limiied social flie. Tite lime ai rte smali itamici ni 900 peuple wsitre annuai espenditores in lthe municipal budget ssere under $4.000. Thte liie a iten lthe commun and grammar scbonil sivre sup- plemenîed by tbe Meebanie's Inslituic on providing a braader educaîion. Conte along lu lioe lime wbeo lthe ui lire brigade mas becomning a pressing necessiiy; miten lthe establishment of lthe iirsi lelegrapit link mas an eseni for amazemeni and rejoiciog: wben lthe stage trip framt Milton la Bronie was being edged dama la, iwia bours and lte problem ai impassable raads scas a irequcol camplaint. The 1850 era was the time ai the Fenians, the aborive baille ai Ridgeway and the subsequeni trouble in the siesi wiib Riel. But in May of' 1865 Milton Council accepledl "Ihc generous aller ai Joseph Martin" lu give Ibe sitafr the new Market House to Ihv latin. "The specilications are tui bc ready for tbe nexl meeting of Cauncîl, un Mondav nexi. and t is propased la poedai once. The building is la bc ai stone abouti torts' fel bY sixi5. Tbe casti s eslimaled ai about $4.00, to be raised cbieily lrom non-residenî landtI ax andth Ie Clergy Re serte Manev". Thus was the project iaunched. Unoder tbe dir- clian af tbe mavîîr and council members McGuflin,' Martin, McKindsay and Freeman as a building com- milice il was agreed tenders on tbe structure sbau li bc called. fI was tbe fuîst obstacle wben tbe tender came in aI $6,640. Councillor Josepb Martin, bowever, agreed be could build tbe nets market (bouse and lown baill for 55,000 and men were sooni ai mark, nol oniy pre- paring the site but cbanging the geagrapits nf the lown as weli. Tbe open dilcb ibal ran lbrougb lte mniddlc aI Ibe town was iii bc converled lIo a race "mudbh ou tbe beaiîb ai the tawn". a ncws report commenîed. The formula for' financing tbe $5,000 projeci was outiîned to ratepayers ibis ssay: $600 ta bc laken tram lthe preseni scbaai rates cilitoot fesser- ing tbe governmenl grant: $400 [rom tbe Clergv Re- serve Fond and about $1.500 fromt tbe nan-resident land tax wbicb isas 14) bc coilected before lthe first oi Oclîîber; Ilte $100 being paid for reniai ai tbe 1(,%%n bail ofi ibai dav. Tbi s con Id ceave S1,250, the ;nierest aI whbkb was lis' avbtairîed by reniing par- ians, aI th1 building "as offlices, buicbcr's sialis etc." Bol ail icas nai lii be smoaib sailîng. Obstacle an obstacle begant and bel are tbe molb ai Jane 1865 bad campieind ils das a large number ai raie- payers bail assembcîl for a special meeting of tbe tmen council ai wbicb final arrangements wcre lu be canciuded for the iawn bail. Armed wilb a pelilian signed by 39 ratepayers, tbe Mayor was orged la cali a public meeting la dis- tcuss lte projeci bol Mr. Martin declatnd ltai as Ibe season was geliing laie bc could nol delay aoy longer and lbhe coneil must decide on tbe projeci bhat nigbl or be ss'uid ssitbdrasv bis niier. The building commitiee bad recoymmcnded tbe adoption ai tbe prajeel bul Tbe Cbampionofn lthe dis' repnrts lthe meeting Ibis ssay. "A long discus' Sion fliowed in wbicb nearly es'ery member par- licipated, alibougt ibe great-esi sbare ni tbe speebi' Iving was manopoliceti by Messrs. Basiedo and Mc- lÇindsay, tbe former opposing and lthe laller advocai' o g tbe ereclion ai tbe ball, and if we may judge by Ibc ebeers of tbe specialors, lthe greal rnajoriiy ai tbe meeting were for tbe building. Thte s'aie uon tbe report was as fnlows: Yeas - Messrs. Smnith, iCntinued nn Nesi Page) A 1936 picture, takten by the late L. R. Camopbell, show.oi the Town Hall comploe with front stops and tooner stli Intact. Adding a Modern Interior to the Milton Town Hall HAS BEEN OUR PLEASURE as GENERAL CONTRACTOR for your commercial or residential renovations or construction cali L. J. ZANATTA 131 Ashbrook Court - Milton 878-9983